Football icon Diego Maradona dead at 60

Diego Maradona, the Argentine soccer nice who scored the “Hand of God” aim in 1986 and led his nation to that yr’s World Cup title earlier than later combating cocaine use and weight problems, has died. He was 60.

An individual near Maradona mentioned he died Wednesday of a coronary heart assault. The individual spoke to The Related Press on the situation of anonymity as a result of he was not authorised to talk publicly.

Maradona died two weeks after being launched from a Buenos Aires hospital following mind surgical procedure.

The workplace of Argentina’s president mentioned it’ll decree three days of nationwide mourning, and the Argentine soccer affiliation expressed its sorrow on Twitter.

One of the well-known moments within the historical past of the game, the “Hand of God” aim, got here when Maradona punched the ball into England’s internet in the course of the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals. He additionally captivated followers around the globe over a two-decade profession with a bewitching fashion of play that was all his personal.

Though his status was tarnished by his addictions and an ill-fated spell in control of the nationwide crew, he remained idolised in soccer-mad Argentina because the “Pibe de Oro” or “Golden Boy.”

“You took us to the highest of the world,” Argentine President Alfredo Fernández mentioned on social media. “You made us extremely pleased. You have been the best of all.”

Maradona’s masterpiece aim

The No.10 he wore on his jersey grew to become synonymous with him, because it additionally had with Pele, the Brazilian nice with whom Maradona was often paired as the very best of all time.

The Brazilian mentioned in a press release he had misplaced “a pricey buddy.”

“There’s far more to say, however for now might God give his household power,” Pelé mentioned. “At some point, I hope, we’ll play soccer collectively within the sky.”

Fellow Argentina icon Lionel Messi mentioned: “A really unhappy day for all Argentinians and for soccer. He leaves us, however he isn’t gone as a result of Diego is everlasting. I stick with all the attractive moments I lived with him and I wished to ship my condolences to his household and mates.”

Portugal hero Cristiano Ronaldo mentioned: “As we speak I say goodbye to a buddy and the world says goodbye to an everlasting genius. Top-of-the-line ever. An unrivalled magician. He departs too quickly, however leaves a legacy with no limits and an vacancy that can by no means be crammed.”

Daring, quick and completely unpredictable, Maradona was a grasp of assault, juggling the ball simply from one foot to the opposite as he raced up-field. Dodging and weaving together with his low heart of gravity, he shrugged off numerous rivals and infrequently scored with a devastating left foot, his strongest weapon.

“All the things he was considering in his head, he made it occur together with his ft,” mentioned Salvatore Bagni, who performed with Maradona at Italian membership Napoli.

A ballooning waistline slowed Maradona’s explosive pace later in his profession and by 1991 he was snared in his first doping scandal when he admitted to a cocaine behavior that haunted him till he retired in 1997, at 37.

Hospitalised close to loss of life in 2000 and once more in ’04 for coronary heart issues blamed on cocaine, he later mentioned he overcame the drug downside. Cocaine, he as soon as mentioned famously, had confirmed to be his “hardest rival.”

However extra well being issues adopted, regardless of a 2005 gastric bypass that drastically trimmed his weight. Maradona was hospitalised in early 2007 for acute hepatitis that his physician blamed on extreme consuming and consuming.

He made an unlikely return to the nationwide crew in 2008 when he was appointed Argentina coach, however after a quarter-final exit on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he was ousted — in the end selecting up one other teaching job with the United Arab Emirates membership Al Wasl.

Maradona was the fifth of eight youngsters who grew up in a poor, gritty barrio on the Buenos Aires outskirts the place he performed a sort of dirt-patch soccer that launched many Argentines to worldwide stardom.

None of them approached Maradona’s fame. In 2001, FIFA named Maradona one of many two best within the sport’s historical past, alongside Pele.

“Maradona conjures up us,” mentioned then-Argentina striker Carlos Tevez, explaining his nation’s everyman fascination with Maradona on the 2006 World Cup in Germany. “He is our idol, and an idol for the individuals.”

Maradona reaped titles at dwelling and overseas, enjoying within the early 1980s for Argentinos Juniors and Boca Juniors earlier than transferring on to Spanish and Italian golf equipment. His crowning achievement got here on the 1986 World Cup, captaining Argentina in its Three-2 win over West Germany within the remaining and decisive in a 2-1 victory in opposition to England in a feisty quarter-final match.

Over the protests of England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, the referee let stand a aim by Maradona wherein, as he admitted years later, he deliberately hit the ball together with his hand in “a little bit of mischief.”

However Maradona’s influence would not be confined to dishonest. 4 minutes later, he spectacularly weaved previous 4 opponents from midfield to beat Shilton for what FIFA later declared the best aim in World Cup historical past.

Many Argentines noticed the match as revenge for his or her nation’s loss to Britain within the 1982 conflict over the Falkland Islands, which Argentines nonetheless declare as “Las Malvinas.”

“It was our manner of recovering ‘Las Malvinas,'” Maradona wrote in his 2000 autobiography “I’m Diego.”

“It was greater than attempting to win a recreation. We mentioned the sport had nothing to do with the conflict. However we knew that Argentines had died there, that that they had killed them like birds. And this was our revenge. It was one thing larger than us: We have been defending our flag.”

It additionally was vindication for Maradona, who in what he later referred to as “the best tragedy” of his profession was minimize from the squad of the 1978 World Cup — which Argentina gained at dwelling — as a result of he was solely 17.

Maradona mentioned he was given a soccer ball quickly after he may run.

“I used to be three years outdated and I slept hugging that ball all night time,” he mentioned.

At 10, Maradona gained fame by acting at half-time of professional matches, wowing crowds by protecting the ball airborne for minutes together with his ft, chest and head.

He additionally made his enjoying debut with the Argentinos Juniors youth crew, main a squad of largely 14-year-olds by 136 unbeaten matches.

“To see him play was pure bliss, true stardom,” teammate Carlos Beltran mentioned.

Maradona performed from 1976-81 for first division membership Argentinos Juniors, then went to Boca Juniors for a yr earlier than heading to Barcelona for a world-record $eight million.

In 1984, Barcelona bought him to Napoli, in Italy. He remade its fortunes nearly single-handedly, taking it to the 1987 Italian league championship for its first title in 60 years.

A yr after shedding the 1990 World Cup remaining to West Germany, Maradona moved to Spanish membership Sevilla, however his profession was on the decline.

He performed 5 matches at Argentine membership Newell’s Previous Boys in 1994 earlier than returning to Boca from 1995-97 — his remaining membership and closest to his coronary heart.

Drug issues overshadowed his remaining enjoying years.

Maradona failed a doping check in 1991 and was banned for 15 months, acknowledging his longtime cocaine dependancy. He failed one other doping check for stimulants and was thrown out of the 1994 World Cup in the US.

In retirement, Maradona frequented Boca matches as a raucous one-man cheering part and took half in worldwide charity, sporting and exhibition occasions. However the already stocky ahead rapidly gained weight and was clearly wanting breath as he huffed by pleasant matches.

In 2000, in what medical doctors mentioned was a brush with loss of life, he was hospitalized within the Uruguayan resort of Punta del Este with a coronary heart that medical doctors mentioned was pumping at lower than half its capability. Blood and urine samples turned up traces of cocaine.

After one other emergency hospitalisation in 2004, Maradona was recommended for drug abuse and in September of that yr traveled to Cuba for remedy at Havana’s Middle for Psychological Well being. There he was visited by his buddy, Cuban President Fidel Castro.

In Cuba, Maradona took to enjoying golf and smoking cigars. He ceaselessly praised Castro and Argentine-born revolutionary “Che” Guevara, who fought with Castro within the Cuban revolution — even sporting a tattoo of Guevara on his proper arm.

Maradona mentioned he acquired clear from medicine there and began a brand new chapter.

In 2005, he underwent gastric bypass in Colombia, shedding almost 50 kilograms (greater than 100 kilos) earlier than showing as host of a wildly fashionable Argentine tv speak present. On “10’s Night time,” Maradona headed round a ball with Pele, interviewed boxer Mike Tyson and Hollywood celebrities, and taped a prolonged dialog with Castro in Cuba.

In retirement, Maradona additionally grew to become extra outspoken. He sniped ceaselessly at former coaches, gamers — together with Pele — and the pope. He joined a left-wing protest practice exterior the Summit of the Americas in 2005, standing alongside Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to denounce the presence of then-President George W. Bush.

His outsider standing made it all of the extra stunning when he was chosen as Argentina coach following Alfio Basile’s resignation.

He gained his first three matches however his techniques, choice and a focus to element have been all questioned after a 6-1 loss to Bolivia in World Cup qualifying equalled Argentina’s worst-ever margin of defeat.

Victor Hugo Morales, Argentina’s hottest soccer broadcaster, mentioned Maradona will in the end be remembered for an exhilarating fashion of play that has by no means been duplicated.

“He has been one of many nice artists of my time. Like nice masters of music and portray, he has defied our mind and enriched the human spirit,” Morales mentioned. “No one has thrilled me extra and left me in such awe as Diego.”